avgas in the airport runner?

[troy]

The past subject matter is just too serious.......I get enough of that in the college classes......how about a subject of.....using avgas in personal or airport runner vehicles? Anyone do this regularly? My 84 Blazer loves it and almost refuses to drink anything else. Anyone?

 

[ShawnC]

The lead in avgas I'm told will kill the effiency systems in the modern cars. Though I know at a glider port that I goto they used Avgas in one of their 1980 glider towing cars, it worked for a while.

 

[ILLINI]

When I worked on the flight line at the University of Illinois, we used Avgas for our tugs and lawn mowers. The lawn mowers were several years old and the tugs were circa 1960's. Both were still running when I graduated. I'm no mechanic, but I doubt it's good for most modern fuel systems in todays automobiles though. However, I did hear that using jet fuel in diesel engines was alright. Don't take my word for it though. Like I said, i'm no mechanic.

 

[avbug]

Leaded avgas will plug up a catalytic converter in fairly short order. It can also foul spark plugs in vehicles, just as in aircraft. The lead is good for valves guides to a degree but lends to valve deposits and inefficiency due to blow-by, as a result.

You may also find that avgas will burn your valves. It can also lead to carburetion issues, and may affect some fuel injection systems.

That aside, avgas is a lot more expensive.

Unfortunately, like using slick 50, many of these things won't be discovered until it's too late. The potential for harm, however, will depend on the engine. Some engines will do quite well, others will require adjustment.

 

[402driver]

It does work

Yup, avgas works great for older vehicles. It will destroy the catalytic converter, so if you need that thing to pass emissions tests (California for example), I wouldn't use it.

1985 Chevy full size truck with a 350 and Holly double-pump, it will be like putting the truck on steriods. 2002 Honda Accord, I wouldn't!

I have a friend who used to collect all of the sump fuel from the fuel trucks at the school he instructed at. I think he was able to avoid buying gasoline at the pumps for something like a year or so. Classic!

Aloha

 

[DC9stick]

The use of Avgas in vehicles with a catalytic converter will cause plugging of the converter and loss of power. Catalytic converters are part of the required emision package and are illegal to remove in most states.

Use of Avgas in a Diesel will probably result in immediate and catastrophic engine failure due to detonation. Jet fuel may be used in a diesel if a lubricant is added to provide for lubrication of the high presure injection pump on engines so equipped.

 

[troy]

we use jet fuel in all of our diesel engines (fuel trucks) at the FBO that I work at. Seems to work good, and we do use diesel addative for the injection pumps.

 

[xjcaptain]

As a flight instructor I used 100LL in my 1983 vintage motorcycle for about 3 years. Seemed to work fine. Gotta love those 5 gallon buckets under the fuel vents of the cessna's in the hangars!!! ps. (use a screen to filter out the junk in the bucket)